Teacher: Mr. Lavigne Office Location: Education Center 217 Office Hours: Mon & Wed 2:30-5:30 E-mail: cooper.lavigne@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
In this course we will learn about key events that took place in the 20th century that have served to shape modern Middle Eastern societies. The class will be expected to come away with the understanding that the issue of global terrorism is complex and lacks an obvious course of action from the international community. With that in mind we will still be asked to consider the numerous social and political ramifications of each policy decision and develop our own opinion. These opinions must be informed through historical context or must offer compelling reasoning to deviate from history
Establish Goals
Maine Learning Results Content Area: Social Studies Standard Label: E. History Standard: E1 Historical Knowledge, concepts, themes and patterns Grade Level Span: Grade 9-Diploma "The World in the Contemporary Era" Students understand major eras, major enduring themes and historic influences in the United States and World history including the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals and institutions in the World. Performance Indicators: b, c, d
Students will understand that
• global terrorism is a complex issue with roots throughout history.
• proxy wars played an integral role in shaping the Middle East today.
• terrorism is a global phenomenon and is not region specific.
Essential Questions
• Why is terrorism so prominent today?
• Why is the Middle East so unstable?
• How do we address global terrorism?
Students will know
• Terminology: terrorism, Middle East, Islam, Western society,
proxy wars, democracy, Sharia law, ISIS/ISIL, Al Qaeda,
• Important Events and People: Israel/Palestine Conflict, Iran/Iraq War,
Soviet/Afghan War, USA/Iraq War, USA/Afghanistan War, Iran-contra Affair,
Syrian Civil War, Desert Storm, World Trade Center Attacks, Osama Bin Laden
Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush,
Saddam Hussein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Barack Obama, Malala Yousafzai
• Critical Details: Motivations for conflict, death tolls, government
vs rogue action, governments in control, leaders in control, historical background, lasting effects of conflict
Students will be able to
• demonstrate an understanding of the larger implications of foreign policy decisions
regarding terrorism.
• infer some of the potential consequences of altering foreign policy on terrorism.
• build an understanding of how the proxy wars of the late 1970s and 1980s influenced
today's foreign policy in the Middle East.
• analyze a perspective that is not their own on global issues.
• consider historical, cultural, and social biases and their effect on one's position.
• recognize that policy decisions of past generations in the Middle East largely have
shaped the issues that we face today and the decisions we make now will impact future generations.
Performance Task Overview
Propaganda videos are a powerful tool used by extremists organizations to galvanize, radicalize, and organize political dissidents. These videos are often pushing a narrative that relies heavily on half truths, meaning what they're saying may be correct but they are intentionally leaving out specific information in service of a more favorable narrative. For your assignment you will be asked to create your own video with a narrative that in your estimation serves to create a more complete understanding of modern terrorism. You will be judged on your accuracy of events and statistics, willingness to address multiple points of view, and overall effectiveness in pursuing and conveying a complete narrative. These videos will be sent to the Quilliam organization which focuses its efforts on counter messaging to help deter the spread of extremist ideology throughout the Middle East. The founders of Quilliam Maajid Nawaz and Ed Husain have agreed to consider using these videos in their counter messaging campaigns throughout the Middle East. If your presentation is chosen as the winner it will be shown at a dinner held by Quilliam and you will receive a $150 prize. The runner up will also be invited to the dinner and will be able to give their presentation.
Expectations
Absences:Absences are inevitably going to occur over the semester for numerous reasons that are out of our control, that being said it is still important to keep up with the course content. For this reason I will make the content of each class accessible on the class wiki page. Additionally each student will exchange contact information with two other students (email, cell phone number, facebook profile, etc) who can clarify questions about the content or expectations (of course I will always be available via email to answer any questions as well). Extended deadlines for classwork due to absence are negotiable, however they will be expected the following class period if an extended deadline has not been agreed upon. Special accommodations can be made for extended absences and can be negotiated on a case by case basis.
Plagiarism: Academic scholars spend their lifetime researching and developing content to enrich a body of information and subsequently our understanding of that information, I should hope it would not be too much to ask to give them their due credit. This course will involve researching and therefore I will ask that you cite your research where it is needed. Citation format is not important to me so long as I can tell where you got your information and where you are using it. Instances of plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with our school's policy on plagiarism. Remember if you have a question about citing a source it is always best to use too much citation than too little, I can always make myself available after school for further questions about citation.
Assignments: My goal in this class is for you to come away with an understanding of the material, assignments are often my way of ensuring that i'm doing an effective job conveying that information to you. That being said i'm not operating under the assumption that no learning can take place if an assignment is not completed on time, but I do expect if there is an issue that will prevent it from being completed on time that it is communicated before the due date. If an issue is communicated prior to the due date of an assignment there is always potential for an extension or a reduced deduction from their grade, however if no communication has taken place the student will receive a 10% deduction from their grade for each class period it is late. Each assignment is designed to build on the last which hopefully will serve to add to the class experience and for that reason due dates are important. In terms of format I expect all typed assignments to be in Times New Roman 12pt font and double spaced.
Classroom Expectations: I expect one thing above anything else in my classroom and that is respect. First and foremost I expect that students respect each other, this class is going to be going over touchy subjects and there will be many different points of view, regardless of any ideological differences I ask you to respect each other. Second I ask you to respect me, I come in to school everyday because I want you all to learn I wouldn't do this if I didn't. If you didn't complete an assignment please do not lie to me about it, I have done more than my fair share of late work and you will find that I am very understanding if you approach me honestly. Third I ask you to respect property, this encompasses the school's property, my property, and each other's property. Despite what some of you may think I was not given a blank check to furnish this classroom and any part of the budget made available to me has already gone toward making this class as suitable as possible for my students. If property is damaged or destroyed replacing it will often come out of my pocket. Finally I ask you to respect yourself, everyday you don't work to your ability you are doing a disservice to yourself. Participation is going to be a large element in this class, I'm not going to catalog each time a student speaks and grade you based on participation but it is easy to tell when a student is engaged and when they are disengaged. I ask that you always do your best to be engaged and participate to the best of your abilities because that will not only enrich your own experience in this class but it will enrich your classmates and my experience.
Benchmarks (600 points)
• Online Timeline: Students will be randomly assigned a nation in the Middle East (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan, or Syria) and will be asked to make a timeline of major events in that nation since World War 1. These events will typically be political in nature and should represent the entirety of this timespan (1918-present). The individual histories of these regions are the most important but remember to look for connections with Western society. (25 points)
• iMovie: In groups of 3-4 students will create an iMovie that explains major political events and developments that have taken place in your assigned country since WW1. Groups will be based on the other members of class who were assigned the same country for your timeline. The expectation is a 4-6 minute video that gives a succinct, broad overview of the nation you were assigned. I do not expect a 6 minute explanation of just one event, for the purposes of this video we are painting in broad strokes and cannot get hung up on minor details. I will be looking for connections to Western society, major conflicts, wars, etc. These movies will serve as our basis of understanding in the region, for this reason accuracy is of paramount importance. (75 points)
• Online Forum: As a class we will create an online forum where current developments in the Middle East can be discussed. After each class I will post a news article to the forum as a new discussion topic, students will have the ability to give their personal reaction to the article and react to their classmate's interpretations. I will expect that students will have given both their personal reaction to the article as a "comment" on the forum and a reaction to a classmate's comment as a "reply" to their comment. Responses do not have to be longer than a paragraph so long as they show an understanding and a personal position on the article. I ask that you respond to a different student each time you reply and that replies stay positive regardless if you agree or disagree. We will often disagree in this course and this assignment is to build skills in respectfully disagreeing rather than harboring negative feelings towards someone for their opinion, that being said it's important for us to keep our responses honest without being inflammatory. (100 points)
• Pen Pal Schools App: In this class we will be using the Pen Pals Schools app to connect with students from the Middle East. Students will be expected to communicate with their pen pal throughout the lesson and give three reflections on conversations they've had with their pen pal. Reflections will show that you did in fact communicate with your pen pal and will show something you gained from the conversation (perspective, knowledge, perhaps even a friend). This assignment puts a human face and personality to a region that is often viewed in an inhuman way, as always respect is an expectation. (75 points)
• Google Earth: Students will use the Google Earth app to view the city/town their pen pal is from. I expect each student to explore the town using the streetview feature offered on Google Earth. Hopefully this will serve to broaden our perspective on a region we have little understanding of and help broaden our understanding of our pen pal's lived experiences. To prove you have done this I expect a 1 page response (typed, 12pt, times new roman font, double spaced) on a separate page include one screenshot of your pen pal's hometown from the streetview feature. (25 points)
• Keynote: Students will be asked to individually create and present a slideshow that shows change over time in the Middle East. Students may be as broad or specific as they like but must be able to show a connection to how it effects global terrorism. Much like the iMovies made earlier in the course we will be recounting events in the region but for this project we will be interpreting the effects of these events and discussing the implications in a more nuanced manner. (100 points) Performance Task: (200 points)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).
Office Location: Education Center 217
Office Hours: Mon & Wed 2:30-5:30
E-mail: cooper.lavigne@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
In this course we will learn about key events that took place in the 20th century that have served to shape modern Middle Eastern societies. The class will be expected to come away with the understanding that the issue of global terrorism is complex and lacks an obvious course of action from the international community. With that in mind we will still be asked to consider the numerous social and political ramifications of each policy decision and develop our own opinion. These opinions must be informed through historical context or must offer compelling reasoning to deviate from history
Establish Goals
Maine Learning ResultsContent Area: Social Studies
Standard Label: E. History
Standard: E1 Historical Knowledge, concepts, themes and patterns
Grade Level Span: Grade 9-Diploma "The World in the Contemporary Era"
Students understand major eras, major enduring themes and historic influences in the United States and World history including the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals and institutions in the World.
Performance Indicators: b, c, d
Students will understand that
• global terrorism is a complex issue with roots throughout history.• proxy wars played an integral role in shaping the Middle East today.
• terrorism is a global phenomenon and is not region specific.
Essential Questions
• Why is terrorism so prominent today?• Why is the Middle East so unstable?
• How do we address global terrorism?
Students will know
• Terminology: terrorism, Middle East, Islam, Western society,proxy wars, democracy, Sharia law, ISIS/ISIL, Al Qaeda,
• Important Events and People: Israel/Palestine Conflict, Iran/Iraq War,
Soviet/Afghan War, USA/Iraq War, USA/Afghanistan War, Iran-contra Affair,
Syrian Civil War, Desert Storm, World Trade Center Attacks, Osama Bin Laden
Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush,
Saddam Hussein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Barack Obama, Malala Yousafzai
• Critical Details: Motivations for conflict, death tolls, government
vs rogue action, governments in control, leaders in control, historical background, lasting effects of conflict
Students will be able to
• demonstrate an understanding of the larger implications of foreign policy decisions
regarding terrorism.
• infer some of the potential consequences of altering foreign policy on terrorism.
• build an understanding of how the proxy wars of the late 1970s and 1980s influenced
today's foreign policy in the Middle East.
• analyze a perspective that is not their own on global issues.
• consider historical, cultural, and social biases and their effect on one's position.
• recognize that policy decisions of past generations in the Middle East largely have
shaped the issues that we face today and the decisions we make now will impact future generations.
Performance Task Overview
Propaganda videos are a powerful tool used by extremists organizations to galvanize, radicalize, and organize political dissidents. These videos are often pushing a narrative that relies heavily on half truths, meaning what they're saying may be correct but they are intentionally leaving out specific information in service of a more favorable narrative. For your assignment you will be asked to create your own video with a narrative that in your estimation serves to create a more complete understanding of modern terrorism. You will be judged on your accuracy of events and statistics, willingness to address multiple points of view, and overall effectiveness in pursuing and conveying a complete narrative. These videos will be sent to the Quilliam organization which focuses its efforts on counter messaging to help deter the spread of extremist ideology throughout the Middle East. The founders of Quilliam Maajid Nawaz and Ed Husain have agreed to consider using these videos in their counter messaging campaigns throughout the Middle East. If your presentation is chosen as the winner it will be shown at a dinner held by Quilliam and you will receive a $150 prize. The runner up will also be invited to the dinner and will be able to give their presentation.
Expectations
Absences: Absences are inevitably going to occur over the semester for numerous reasons that are out of our control, that being said it is still important to keep up with the course content. For this reason I will make the content of each class accessible on the class wiki page. Additionally each student will exchange contact information with two other students (email, cell phone number, facebook profile, etc) who can clarify questions about the content or expectations (of course I will always be available via email to answer any questions as well). Extended deadlines for classwork due to absence are negotiable, however they will be expected the following class period if an extended deadline has not been agreed upon. Special accommodations can be made for extended absences and can be negotiated on a case by case basis.Plagiarism: Academic scholars spend their lifetime researching and developing content to enrich a body of information and subsequently our understanding of that information, I should hope it would not be too much to ask to give them their due credit. This course will involve researching and therefore I will ask that you cite your research where it is needed. Citation format is not important to me so long as I can tell where you got your information and where you are using it. Instances of plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with our school's policy on plagiarism. Remember if you have a question about citing a source it is always best to use too much citation than too little, I can always make myself available after school for further questions about citation.
Assignments: My goal in this class is for you to come away with an understanding of the material, assignments are often my way of ensuring that i'm doing an effective job conveying that information to you. That being said i'm not operating under the assumption that no learning can take place if an assignment is not completed on time, but I do expect if there is an issue that will prevent it from being completed on time that it is communicated before the due date. If an issue is communicated prior to the due date of an assignment there is always potential for an extension or a reduced deduction from their grade, however if no communication has taken place the student will receive a 10% deduction from their grade for each class period it is late. Each assignment is designed to build on the last which hopefully will serve to add to the class experience and for that reason due dates are important. In terms of format I expect all typed assignments to be in Times New Roman 12pt font and double spaced.
Classroom Expectations: I expect one thing above anything else in my classroom and that is respect. First and foremost I expect that students respect each other, this class is going to be going over touchy subjects and there will be many different points of view, regardless of any ideological differences I ask you to respect each other. Second I ask you to respect me, I come in to school everyday because I want you all to learn I wouldn't do this if I didn't. If you didn't complete an assignment please do not lie to me about it, I have done more than my fair share of late work and you will find that I am very understanding if you approach me honestly. Third I ask you to respect property, this encompasses the school's property, my property, and each other's property. Despite what some of you may think I was not given a blank check to furnish this classroom and any part of the budget made available to me has already gone toward making this class as suitable as possible for my students. If property is damaged or destroyed replacing it will often come out of my pocket. Finally I ask you to respect yourself, everyday you don't work to your ability you are doing a disservice to yourself. Participation is going to be a large element in this class, I'm not going to catalog each time a student speaks and grade you based on participation but it is easy to tell when a student is engaged and when they are disengaged. I ask that you always do your best to be engaged and participate to the best of your abilities because that will not only enrich your own experience in this class but it will enrich your classmates and my experience.
Benchmarks (600 points)
• Online Timeline: Students will be randomly assigned a nation in the Middle East (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan, or Syria) and will be asked to make a timeline of major events in that nation since World War 1. These events will typically be political in nature and should represent the entirety of this timespan (1918-present). The individual histories of these regions are the most important but remember to look for connections with Western society. (25 points)• iMovie: In groups of 3-4 students will create an iMovie that explains major political events and developments that have taken place in your assigned country since WW1. Groups will be based on the other members of class who were assigned the same country for your timeline. The expectation is a 4-6 minute video that gives a succinct, broad overview of the nation you were assigned. I do not expect a 6 minute explanation of just one event, for the purposes of this video we are painting in broad strokes and cannot get hung up on minor details. I will be looking for connections to Western society, major conflicts, wars, etc. These movies will serve as our basis of understanding in the region, for this reason accuracy is of paramount importance. (75 points)
• Online Forum: As a class we will create an online forum where current developments in the Middle East can be discussed. After each class I will post a news article to the forum as a new discussion topic, students will have the ability to give their personal reaction to the article and react to their classmate's interpretations. I will expect that students will have given both their personal reaction to the article as a "comment" on the forum and a reaction to a classmate's comment as a "reply" to their comment. Responses do not have to be longer than a paragraph so long as they show an understanding and a personal position on the article. I ask that you respond to a different student each time you reply and that replies stay positive regardless if you agree or disagree. We will often disagree in this course and this assignment is to build skills in respectfully disagreeing rather than harboring negative feelings towards someone for their opinion, that being said it's important for us to keep our responses honest without being inflammatory. (100 points)
• Pen Pal Schools App: In this class we will be using the Pen Pals Schools app to connect with students from the Middle East. Students will be expected to communicate with their pen pal throughout the lesson and give three reflections on conversations they've had with their pen pal. Reflections will show that you did in fact communicate with your pen pal and will show something you gained from the conversation (perspective, knowledge, perhaps even a friend). This assignment puts a human face and personality to a region that is often viewed in an inhuman way, as always respect is an expectation. (75 points)
• Google Earth: Students will use the Google Earth app to view the city/town their pen pal is from. I expect each student to explore the town using the streetview feature offered on Google Earth. Hopefully this will serve to broaden our perspective on a region we have little understanding of and help broaden our understanding of our pen pal's lived experiences. To prove you have done this I expect a 1 page response (typed, 12pt, times new roman font, double spaced) on a separate page include one screenshot of your pen pal's hometown from the streetview feature. (25 points)
• Keynote: Students will be asked to individually create and present a slideshow that shows change over time in the Middle East. Students may be as broad or specific as they like but must be able to show a connection to how it effects global terrorism. Much like the iMovies made earlier in the course we will be recounting events in the region but for this project we will be interpreting the effects of these events and discussing the implications in a more nuanced manner. (100 points)
Performance Task: (200 points)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).